Patient support devices, such as beds used in hospitals and nursing homes, are often configurable into different positions. Many of such beds can be raised and lowered, as well as have backrests that can be tilted between a prone (sleeping) position and a raised (sitting) position. These positions are typically controlled by actuators, which are often electrically powered.
When a medical emergency occurs while a bed's backrest is raised, time can be wasted waiting for the actuator to lower the backrest into the prone position, which is often more amenable to administering emergency medical procedures, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
In addition, when a bed's backrest is being lowered during an emergency, objects or a person's appendage can become lodged between the lowering backrest and the bed frame. This may lead to damage of the bed or human injury.